Sheberghan Gas Generation Activity (SGGA) Monthly Report April 1 – April 30, 2014

The project is managed by Advanced Engineering Associates International, Inc. (AEAI) and is supported by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The project's primary objective is to increase the production of natural gas from the Sheberghan field, which is expected to meet the growing energy demands of the region. To achieve this goal, the project team has been working closely with the Afghan Gas Enterprise (AGE), the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP), and the Ministry of Energy and Water (MEW). During the month of April 2014, the project team made significant progress in various areas. In the drilling contract management support section, the team completed the April monthly drilling operations progress report and revised the critical items checklist for Zabih Sarwari. They also reviewed and circulated comments on the Turkish National Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) chairman's response to Director General (DG) Jumriany's letter, which included comments requesting assistance in bringing the schedule into compliance with the signed contract. The team prepared and submitted a draft response for DG Jumriany to rebut TPAO's contention that MoMP agreed upon the revised schedule. They also circulated a letter to Jules Jordy, John Stich, and DG Jumriany describing background and options for dealing with TPAO delays in carrying out Juma-Bashikurd drilling and re-entry contract. In the environmental section, the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) approved MoMP's application for a certificate of environmental compliance for Juma-Bashikurd drilling and re-entry operations. The project team provided required certification of accuracy of the required environmental scoping study to USAID. The project team also held several meetings with various stakeholders, including Charles Drilling and John Stich from USAID, Zabih Sarwari, and Julie Southfield and Wayne Register from USAID. These meetings focused on discussing response to TPAO contract delays, capacity building progress, and cooperation with other USAID and other donor programs. The project schedule as of December 31, 2013, indicates that the project is on track to meet its objectives. The Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) data shows that the project is making progress in various areas, including drilling operations, environmental management, and capacity development. The project team has also been working on capacity development, which includes training and capacity building for the Afghan Gas Enterprise (AGE) and the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP). The team has provided training and support to AGE and MoMP staff on various aspects of natural gas development, including drilling operations, environmental management, and project management. Overall, the Sheberghan Gas Generation Activity (SGGA) is making significant progress in developing the natural gas resources in the Sheberghan region of Afghanistan. The project team is working closely with various stakeholders to achieve the project's objectives and ensure that the project is implemented in a timely and efficient manner.